Friend or Foe?
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: Severide thought about the offer as followed Travis to the door but then…made a decision and ended up somewhere almost unexpected. Based on eppy 5.03 'Scorched Earth' My missing #sevasey broment


**Title: Friend or Foe?**

 **Summary:** Severide thought about the offer as followed Travis to the door but then…made a decision and ended up somewhere almost unexpected. Based on eppy 5.03 'Scorched Earth' My missing #sevasey broment

 **Disclaimer:** Same as always. I own nothing but my muse and my love for all things #firefighters #Sevasey & #Lindseride

 **A/N:** Okay so had to remedy the lack of bromance once again and hope you all like this little piece – some Severide angst!

 **Note:** As always " _words in quotes and double italics taken from the eppy"_ single quotes or without are past convo's or thoughts.

* * *

 _"Just saw Maggie from Chicago Med on the drug OD from the party. She's okay. Going home tomorrow."_

 _"Good. Glad to hear it."_

 _"Yeah…but who brought her in?"_

 _"Why?" Severide asked slowly._

 _"Maggie said she was left on a bench out front."_

 _"Outside of the hospital?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"You're kidding," Severide huffed. "Okay…thank you."_

Severide turned and stormed away from Brett, his mind fuming at Travis Brenner and how he could just leave the young woman to fend for herself, or not, in her present state and then took off as if she were just something…like she didn't matter and he didn't care. But he knew the truth – Travis Brenner didn't care. The only thing he cared about was the next big party, the next big social medial call out and the next big thing to amuse his cushy lifestyle.

"Whoa!" Casey stated as he backed up and mockingly raised his hands. "What…is going on?"

"Nothing," Severide shook his head as he pushed past, muttered to himself and then disappeared into his office, slamming the door shut.

But Casey knew it wasn't nothing and so followed at a discreet pace and then slowly opened the door and stared at Severide's tense back.

"You break the door you bought it," Casey lightly quipped.

"They can bill me!" Severide shot back sourly before he stopped writing his report, dropped his pen and hesitated for a few seconds before he turned around to face his friend.

"Alright. What…is going on? Something to do with Travis Brenner? You been hanging with him lately."

"Yeah…" Severide huffed as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees and exhaled heavily. "He has the scene…parties, girls…the best food money can buy. A lifestyle that any guy like me…or single guy would want."

"But…" Casey prompted.

"But…I guess all that comes at a price right?" Severide countered as he looked up at Casey's perplexed expression. "He said…we're the same."

"Really?"

"Like to work hard, party harder…don't want to be tied down…he's right, to a degree. I couldn't argue with that."

"Doubt he does too many humanitarian gigs just because in his off time."

"His whole life is off time," Severide slightly groaned as he leaned back in his chair. "Last night…its one hottie after another…numbers flying every which way and…best food money can buy…and then I wake up with a hell of a hangover and some paper stuffed in my pocket and he's like…hey man on to the next. Only…the next one is in Buenos Aries. For a month. Maybe more places."

"Ok-ay," Casey added slowly as Severide nodded with a heavy frown.

"A month."

"Ok-ay," Casey added again and then slightly smirked. "A month of partying and drinking with all the best food and as many women as you want right?"

"Be stupid to turn it down right?" Severide countered as Casey's arms folded across his chest.

"Depends on what you want in return," Casey mentioned slowly as Severide's lips pursed. "If you want to just live the carefree lifestyle and party hard for a month with no strings attached."

"Always strings attached right?"

"We can cover you here if you want but…but what are you going to get out him in return? What is he really offering? Just a bunch of one night stand phone numbers and high priced hangovers?"

"Sounds cheap when you put it that way."

"Well…I am the voice of reason around here," Casey playfully boasted.

"Oh yeah," Severide deadpanned as he tossed something at Casey and then watched as his friend walked away leaving a chuckle in the air. But as he started to really ponder Travis's offer…and then reflect upon what happened last night, things inside started to change.

 _'You won't have to worry about anything for a month…well taken care of…all the cold drinks and hot women you can handle at once…that's it.'_

 _That's it…_ when he thinks about what he's going to be getting for a month…it did seem empty. And then hearing from Brett how Travis just treated the young woman at his party was kinda cheap – almost deplorable. However, before he can really give it any more serious thought, the overhead paging system goes off and its all hands on deck.

XXXXXXXX

 _"Kelly? Is that you? Hey man…the good thing about having a private plane is you can arrive whenever you want."_

Travis treated last night as if it was nothing and Severide just looked at him in shock before he reacted.

 _"You left her on a bench!" Severide stated angrily._

 _"I took her to the hospital," Travis Brenner tried to justify. "'kay we saved her life."_

 _"She wasn't out of the woods. She's still in ICU."_

 _"Look if I took her into that ER and one idiot with a cell phone ID'd me, her face would have been all over the internet. She would have been publicly humiliated. Come on…you know me, I was helping her," Travis tried to reason. "Come on…go get your bags."_

"I think the real reason you invited me is to mop up your messes…if you have any and to keep your name out of the news or media or whatever," Severide challenged as he held his ground, Travis turning back with a heavy frown. "Like last night. Did you even know her name?"

"Last night was an anomaly…it doesn't happen all the time," Travis explained as he looked at Severide in earnest. "Most of the time, everything is okay, behaved. Besides, you'll be a great addition to the team."

"As what? The glorified first aid guy? That was the reason you asked me right? Someone who has the look…the walk…the whatever. Isn't kinda dorky like Otis so won't mess with the social media feed? Glorified cleaner?"

"Not fair."

"A month of partying? Sounds fun for like a week and then…then what?"

"What do you mean then what? It never gets old…the fun always stays. You are overthinking this."

"Maybe. Or maybe last night was a real wake up call."

"Okay…how about you come for say a week…or two and then…you don't like it, I'll fly you home, no hard feelings. But I guarantee when you're there…you won't wanna leave," Travis concluded with a grin. "Don't you wanna just go and have some fun? On someone else's dime?"

Severide stood in place while his mind pondered Travis's offer. _An all-expenses paid…two week vacation! An exotic destination. First class food…drink…women! Really? Why are you even hesitating!_

"Kelly…come on," Travis urged as he grabbed his leather jacket and keys, punched a button that turned off the lights and then stopped. "You…in? Or…are you going to miss out on the best opportunity of your life?"

XXXXXXXX

"Hold on…" Casey muttered as he scooped Louie up in his grasp and hurried toward the door, pulling it open and looking at Severide in surprise. "Hey…what's…going on?"

"I just turned down a two-week all expenses paid…damn what am I doing," Severide groaned as he followed Casey into their old apartment, dropping his bag at the door. "Am I interrupting?"

"Dawson's just finishing up at Molly's. Herrmann's wondering when Travis will be back with all the customers."

"Yeah…he's good for that," Severide acknowledged sourly as he followed Casey into the kitchen. "What…are you two doing?"

"Bachin' tonight," Casey smiled as he and Louie high-fived. "You want…"

"Apple zuice," Louie offered Severide as he held out his partially drunk juice box.

"Thanks buddy," Severide smiled as he took it and then pretended to take a sip. "Hmm don't want to take it all. How about I get something….else."

"This still has apples in it," Casey offered Severide a hard apple cider. "Not as fancy as Brenner's stuff but…so what happened?"

"Finally came to my senses. Although I'm sure he'll plaster all over the net that I'm the biggest fool around," Severide replied as they walked into the living room and slumped down on opposite sofa's; Louie perched on Casey's lap and playing with a little fire truck. "I am crazy. Two weeks…just two weeks and then I could have come home, no strings attached."

"But…Kelly Severide isn't that easily bought."

"Or duped. A girl OD's at his party and he's more concerned about his…well he said he did it to spare her but I doubt he could give a damn about some girl that he didn't even know the name of. I think he just wanted me there to clean up his messes."

"That's…kind of wrong."

"I tried to justify it to myself…he said I was turning down a great opportunity."

"At what?"

"Getting hot girls. Which I can do here…on my own," Severide paused with a snicker as Casey playfully covered Louie's ears; prompting the darling little boy to look up in wonder. "Oh I'm sure he's heard worse."

"Not from me," Casey feigned innocently. "Dawson on the other hand…"

"Yeah which one?" Severide tossed back as Casey laughed. "He seems happy," Severide commented as Louie offered Casey a smile and then looked back down at his toy.

"He does. Kelly…"

"Ah I'm just bitter about it right now. Will kick myself for a few hours and then…then look for someplace else to crash I guess."

"We…still have your room," Casey reminded him. "Course the bed is a bit smaller."

"Nah I don't want to toss a wrench in any plans. I'll be okay."

"I think you did the right thing," Casey told him in truth. "If that counts."

"Keep telling myself that but…but I sneaked a look at his social media feed on the ride over and…and I think I'll have a few regrets. At least for a few hours," he sighed heavily.

"Well…the night is still young and…have you eaten?"

"Not much in the mood."

"Well…I know it's not exactly a swinging hot spot, and the waitresses are either old enough to be your mother or young enough to be your sister…and the menu caters more to Louie than…"

"Hell of a sell job man," Severide chuckled as Casey paused and then grinned.

"But…Apple-bee's makes a pretty mean….coffee."

"Coffee huh…" Severide paused as Casey's expression turned a bit more serious.

"If you still want to go I'm sure you can call him back and change his mind. Think he'd stick it to you that he was right?"

"Nah," Severide shook his head. "I just don't think I'm cut out to be part of his entourage. Being told where to go…what to do…what to drink…and then to clean up when he gets into trouble. Guess all that gold plating has a bit of tarnish underneath. But he was right about one thing…we are alike in that we both want to be in charge and in control and with him…I'm not. He is and I don't like that."

"So…"

"Apple-bee's it is," Severide looks at Louie who offers a grin. "Can't turn down that face."

"Nope," Casey agreed as he looked at his friend with a friendly nod. "You made the right decision. Now…how about the three hottest bachelors in Chicago go and have some fun," Casey stated as he playfully bounced Louie who looked up with a smile and then clapped. "Yeah…hard to turn down that face."

"Lead the way."

Severide slowly stood up and followed after Casey, heading to the door while his friend got his foster son ready to go. Part of him still regretted not taking Travis up on his fun-filled offer but he thought about what he'd be giving up in return – a part of his conscience all for someone else's image. And if he did sell his soul it wasn't going to be to the sound of a mouse click beside a 'like' button.

He looked at Casey talking to Louie and then thought this is his family…this is where he belonged, with others who would have his back no matter what.

"Alright…let's go."

 **THE END!**

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 **A/N:** Okay so I hope that our Severide does not get on the plan with selfish Travis and I hope you all liked this little friendship bonding piece (hope it wasn't too boring but its a warmup for Alice) hehe. And I love Louie so I had to include him a little (he's sooo cute!). Please do review before you go and thanks so much!


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